Intricate Beginnings
by vampireyautja
Summary: Pain. It seemed that was the only thing Alexis knew anymore. Each day brought a new form of torture whether it was chemicals, needles, slicing, or amputations. These things had become common place in her daily life. But it hadn't always been like this. She still remembered the day she had been brought to this hell-hole...
1. Chapter 1

Intricate Beginnings

Chapter 1

**Hey guys, I just started this story. I have about seven chapters already written on my laptop so just let me know if you want me to upload more **** any constructive criticism would be appreciated! If you think the rating should be changed, let me know, as I was a little unsure myself. I'm planning on this being a Alexis/Starscream fic but that may change as I've never written romance before.**

Pain.

It seemed that was the only thing she knew anymore. Each day brought a new form of torture whether it was chemicals, needles, slicing, or amputations. These things had become common place in her daily life. But it hadn't always been like this. She still remembered the day she had been taken to this hell-hole. It seemed like years had ago, when in reality it had only been a few months…

"_Alexis, we're going to be late if you don't hurry up!" Alexis quickly grabbed her bags and headed to the front door of her two- room apartment. Her long time friend Kelly was leaning against the doorframe, an impatient look in her eyes._

"_It's about time! Come on we have to go or we'll miss the tram!" Alexis glanced at her watch. The shuttle left in half an hour, they still had plenty of time. Kelly rolled her eyes and grabbed her friend's arm._

"_I am not going to be late today! Not again Smexis." Alexis silently scoffed at the title. She knew Kelly meant no harm by it and had come to accept the nickname, annoying as it was. Kelly pulled Alexis through the doorway and hastily locked the door behind her. She then yanked on Alexis' arm, intent on making it work on time for once._

_The subway was surprisingly empty that morning, making it easier to get to the platform without having to weave through crowds. The tunnel suddenly filled with light as the underground train approached._

"_Oh thank god we made it." Kelly sighed in relief. The shuttle screeched to a halt and swiftly opened its doors. The ride to work was quiet and uneventful. Very few people got onto the shuttle. This made Alexis frown. Why were so many people missing today? _

_They didn't speak about it though, figuring it could be that the flu was going around. It was the season for it after all. Suddenly, the train slid to a halt, its brakes screaming in protest as they grinded roughly against the tracks. The intercom crackled as it turned on._

"_Sorry folks, it seems we are having some minor technical difficulties. We should be up and running shortly." Kelly groaned._

"_Well that's just freaking fantastic. Now we are going to be late to work."_

_Alexis shrugged, their boss was used to it by now and considering there weren't a lot of people willing to wash dirty jets in hot aircraft hangers, he was willing to cut them some slack. Suddenly the shuttle shook as a jarring explosion erupted from above. Pieces of rubble and rock rained down on the tram as a giant hole appeared in the ceiling of the tunnel. Kelly frantically turned to Alexis._

"_What the hell was that?!" Alexis ran over to the window and peered outside. Her face drained of color and her eyes visibly widened. Hastily she scrambled to the back of the shuttle, yanking her friend behind her until she got to the emergency exit at the back. _

"_Alexis what was it? Alexis, what's happening?!" Alexis shook her head and pulled her friend towards an adjoining tunnel that was currently under construction. Oddly, there was not a single construction worker in sight. A partially built platform lay before them, a set of stairs leading up to the surface. Alexis practically flew up the steps and clamored through the front doors of the empty station, dragging her friend behind her. As soon as they burst through the stations doors Kelly let out a scream of terror. Alexis looked on at the scene with wide eyes. _

_The city was on fire._

_Buildings crumbled while others were swallowed up in flames. Here and there explosions would shake the ground, causing plumes of smoke to smother the once blue sky. Brightly lit casino signs were shattered by bullets while the casinos themselves were blown out of existence. People were running and screaming in the streets, calling out for lost loved ones and others screaming out of terror. However Alexis barely glanced at the wreckage. Her eyes were fixed on the ones responsible for the chaos. _

_They were 20 feet tall at the least. Their armor seemed to glow in the light of the fire, giving them a hellish appearance. The metal giants were purple and silver. Where their eyes should have been was instead replaced with a glinting red visor. Alexis quickly glanced at their feet and saw they were soaked in blood and bits of gore, probably the people who had thought they could run past the creatures. A quick look at the robots hands revealed a gun of some sort, the source of all the explosions. Upon closer inspection she could almost make out the purple symbol on the beings chest. Suddenly Kelly shrieked as the giant turned in their direction. Alexis practically lifted her friend off the ground as she bolted towards a nearby building._

_Before they could reach it, the building exploded. They turned around to see the giant behind them, a gun pointed directly at them. Kelly wrenched her arm from Alexis' grasp. She cast her friend a confused glance._

"_You're on your own." She whispered. With that Kelly bolted, her retreating back getting harder and harder to see the farther she ran. Alexis looked up and saw the giant had switched targets. She watched in horror as he fired. The shot whizzed past her head, making her ears ring. Alexis turned to see her once best friend disintegrate before her very eyes. Before she knew what was happening she was running. She ducked into a nearby alley. Her chest heaved up and down as she tried to catch her breath. _

_Kelly was gone. Why had she abandoned her like that? Alexis mentally shook her head. She couldn't think about that right now, she needed to focus on getting out of there alive. Alexis glanced up at the sound of tires screeching in front of her. A black van had pulled up in front of the alley she was hiding in while men in black uniforms with black goggles in front of their eyes, pilled out of the van. One of the men pulled out a walkie-talkie._

"_Sir, we've found another one. Shall we bag and tag it?" Alexis' shoulders slumped in relief. Finally, the military had arrived! Now all this madness could end! The men however, were not heading towards that metal giant like she thought they would. Instead they had gathered closer to her. Alexis frowned. What were they doing? Why were they edging closer to her, didn't they know the giant was over by the subway station? Without warning one of the men launched at her; in his grip a stun gun. Before he could reach her, Alexis gave him a swift upper cut. The man let out a grunt as he fell to the ground but quickly got up again. Alexis didn't give him the chance to grab her though, and dashed off. She ran deeper into the alley, away from the masked men. She was quickly stopped as she encountered a fence. She scrambled to haul herself over the metal barricade, cutting herself on the barbed wire on top of the obstacle._

'_I'm going to make it!' She silently cheered as she cleared the fence and landed on the other side. She started to run but was stopped by a sharp pain in her shoulder. She reached behind her and pulled out the object that had embedded itself into her skin. To her dismay she realized it was a tranquilizer dart. The ground started to spin as she continued to walk towards the end of the alley. Her legs gave out, and she soon fell to the ground as the serum took effect. She glanced up to see a building on the other side of the street with people flocking around it, probably seeking a place of refuge. Behind her she heard the sounds of the men approaching. She chuckled at her misfortune._

_So close._


	2. Chapter 2

**I couldn't wait and so here is the next chapter! Thank you quasarsmom and naughtia for the reviews! **

**Enjoy~**

_Alexis woke with a start. She rubbed her head as a pounding headache resounded throughout her skull._

'_What an awful dream.' She sat up slowly, clutching her head as if trying to will the migraine away. Her eyes widened when she opened her eyes to look around. _

_Oh god, it had been __**real**__._

_Alexis jumped out of the simple cot she had been sleeping on and rushed at a seemingly unblocked doorway. She felt her body seize up as the electric barrier activated, sending shocks through her body. The smell of her skin burning filled the air as she tried to push past the invisible barrier. Finally she fell to the ground, her body giving involuntary spasms as it tried to recover from the shock. Her head turned slightly at the noise of a series of beeping. Her eyes landed on a man dressed in white, his bright red hair practically glowing under the florescent lights. He punched in a code on the other side of the barrier. With a whoosh the barrier faded and the man stepped into the tiny holding cell. _

_He didn't so much as spare her a glance; instead he looked down at a clipboard in his hands. _

"_Let me get something perfectly clear." His tone was business-like, formal. _

"_You will not be known by your old name Alexis. From here on out, your designation is #37. This is not negotiable and neither is your stay at this facility."_

_Alexis pushed herself off the ground and made a dash for the exit. She was stopped in her tracks as an electric surge ran through her nervous system. She felt her legs give way as she fell back to the ground, the current running through her. When it ended, she looked up to see the man putting a remote back into his pocket. He continued on like nothing happened. _

"_You will not ask questions. If you do they will be dealt with negative results. You are not allowed to leave this room and attempts to do so will be punished."_

_With that he exited the room and the barrier immediately activated following his exit. Alexis ran at the barrier again only to be met with previous results. _

'_Not going to do that again.' She turned her head to get a better look at the barrier only to find something she hadn't noticed before. _

_Something was on her throat. _

_She reached her hands up and grabbed onto the devise. It was hard and metallic, and encircled her entire neck. _

'_A shock collar.' Her teeth bared in a grimace as she frantically tried to yank it free. What kind of people were they? Why was she being held here; she had done nothing wrong. Walking over to the cot, Alexis sat down on the scratchy blanket and put her head in her hands. She just wanted to get out of here._

_24 hours in containment_

_Alexis lay curled up on the mattress, her eyes counting the bolts in the metal wall. She stopped when she heard footsteps approaching her cell. The barrier opened with a crackle and a team of scientists walked in, their coats blindingly white under the harsh lighting. They all had surgical masks leaving only their harsh, clinical eyes visible. Alexis scooted as far away from them as possible when they neared her cot. One of them was talking into a cell phone._

"_All right team. The boss wants a physical and diagnostics run. Just the basics today, the real tests will begin tomorrow." The man in the pristine lab coat suddenly seized Alexis by the wrists. She kicked him viciously and his grip loosened. Other scientists quickly joined in and she soon felt the tip of a needle being pressed against her skin. Before she could push the hand away, the needle slipped into her veins, its sedative taking effect. Dimly Alexis noted that perhaps going under this much was not good for her health. However it would be a blessing if she ever got to worry about trivial matters like that ever again. For now she had to focus on escaping and so far she wasn't doing a spectacular job._

_Much to her surprise she didn't completely black out. Instead her thoughts became hazy and she barely noticed when she was dragged from her room into a medical lab. She didn't even flinch when they started inserting various needles into her, along with poking and prodding various parts of her body. Besides this they took a few blood samples and tested her eyesight, hearing and her other senses. Her body jerked when they lifted her from the metal table and dragged her back to her cell. _

_Her mind finally shrugged off the sedative when they passed numerous cells situated along a metal wall. Her cell was located at the very back, the farthest one from the front. Each cell had a bright red number over it, starting with 1. She peered into each cell and saw that numbers 1-30 were empty. She shivered at the people in the cells faces where pale and the skin seemed stretched across their bones. They were skinny and gaunt, looking like they hadn't eaten for weeks. Alexis looked closely at the poor soul located in cell 31. She saw his arm was missing; in its place a shining metal appendage. Bits of plating covered 31's body and hair was completely absent from his body. The others weren't as extreme but they still looked horrendous. When they got to her cell she saw the number 37 had been placed above it. She thrashed against her captors grip, now desperate to flee from this hell hole. They took little notice and just grunted when her fists made contact. She was tossed back into her cell with little care. Despite the sedative not being completely worn off, she whipped around to face her captors. She ran at them only to be shocked by the activated barrier. She opened her mouth in a silent howl and she shook off the pain and ran at them again. _

'_I HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!' she mentally screamed. It soon filled her head like a chant as she ran again and again into the one thing keeping her from sweet freedom. Each time she made contact the desperation to escape overruled the pain coursing through her body. Soon smoke was wafting from her scorched skin. _

"_If you do not stop this childish tantrum we will be forced to sedate you Alexis." A voice on an intercom blared. Alexis only gritted her teeth and slammed into the blue barrier harder, her shoulder wrenching from its socket. Soon the smell of burnt flesh once again filled the air as Alexis' head started to ring from the constant noise of the intercom. She soon fell to the ground but continued to hit at the electric field with her fists. She soon collapsed, exhausted and tired. She slowly made her way back to her cot and curled into a ball on the scratchy fabric, covering her ears to shield out the loud buzzing noise. She could only imagine what horrors awaited her._


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, thank you so much for the reviews! You really know how to make girl feel special. ;) I hope to update on a daily basis but it might slow down to weekly. If anyone can guess who the company is I'll give you a cookie!**

**Thank you: Naughtia, Quasarmom, Scarlet Thorn and Anonymous BW FG!**

100 days in containment

Alexis shook her head as she slowly roused herself from sleep. The morning that followed was uneventful, (or she thought it was morning, there were no clocks for her to be certain) the only thing being of interest was when a small tray of food was slid into her cell. She slowly uncurled and grimaced as the screams started from the other cells. The cries had dwindled over the months, until only the occupants of cells 34-36 were left.

34 was the oldest. He said he had been here a while, about 4 years to be exact. His eyes were covered with a metal plate, the product of a failed test to enhance his eyes. His legs however were incredible. Crafted from the finest steel, Alexis had seen him jump seemingly impossible heights in a single leap. One of his arms was missing but 34 seemed to count himself lucky. Apparently number 33 had been missing both arms and while his legs had been similar to 34's, they were much weaker. One day 33 had gone quiet and the next time Alexis passed his cell, it had been empty.

35 was a small girl. Her eyes were intact and shone with an eerie red light. Her legs were also like 34's only they had the addition of being equipped with wheels. Sort of like built in roller blades. However something had gone wrong with 35's brain stem transplant, leaving her mentally unwell. Sometimes late at night Alexis could hear her whispering to the walls, chatting like they were old acquaintances.

36 was by far the best of the bunch. Alexis would listen as he talked to her; as the barrier was not soundproof. While she didn't talk back, he knew she was there and would often comfort her after a hard day of operations. He was a big guy, his bright red hair short and his face rugged looking. He was only slightly younger than 34, his 29th birthday just a few days away. Like 35, his eyes were also red but much brighter and lacked the dim, glassy look. His legs were as strong as 34's and both of his arms were like two bars of steel. They were metal in structure, but were as intricately designed as the finest watch. His legs and arms could feel and move just like real limbs, if not better.

Alexis herself had not been altered yet. Well not on the outside. When she had last dared to look, her chest had had a long surgical cut across it. She had freaked out, banging on the walls until 36 was able to calm her down. The scientists were ecstatic about the rapid progress of 36 and sometimes late at night Alexis would listen into their conversations.

"_Did you hear about 36? The progress its making is astounding!" The other scientist nodded in agreement._

"_I heard after the upgrade is complete, it'll be ready to send out into the field. That reminds me- what did the boss say to do with 37? It's not as if it will be of any use to us now."_

"_He will probably just have us dispose it."_

Alexis had heard them talking about her, she had peeked her ears in interest. She was horrified to find out that she was to be 'disposed of.'

She had spoken to 36 about it, and he too was worried. It didn't help matters that the procedure was to be carried out the following day.

Alexis softly knocked on the wall separating her and heard someone shift around and approach the wall separating them.

"36 is gone." Alexis froze at the sound of 35's voice. It was soft but had a strange sing-song tone to it that set her on edge.

"Did you not hear?" 35 giggled. "He couldn't handle the stress and his body just _gave up."_

Alexis's eyes widened in disbelief; her only friend in this hell-hole was gone. Her breath was shaky as she exhaled. God, she hoped it had at least been painless. Meanwhile 35 was cackling, her voice ringing throughout the compound.

"Do not fret dearie. Now you have a purpose. They shall make you into perfection; living perfection! You will soon fly as high as the angels that frolic about in the heavens!" 35 soon could do nothing but laugh as her mind crumbled further.

Alexis' hands started to shake as she heard footsteps approach. She jumped when the barrier to 35's cell dropped suddenly, men in lab coats hauling 35 out of her bed. She continued to laugh as they pulled her down the hallway. Suddenly the men shouted and Alexis saw 35 make a mad dash for Alexis's cell. Quickly Alexis rushed over to the bars as 35 frantically whispered to her.

"My time here is almost done but do not give up hope." 35's eyes sparkled with a hidden secret, her smile almost comforting.

"Your fallen angel will come for you." The scientists grabbed a hold of 35 and dragged her down the hall, her last words echoing behind her.

"For your angel glides on silver wings stained with the blood of his foes! He shall smite all that stands before him; join him in his conquest! For he shall one day rule the heavens!"

That was the last time Alexis heard 35.

110 days in containment

Alexis flinched as the barrier to her cell opened.

"Well, 37 it seems as though your tests will begin today!" Alexis held back a snort. The scientist made it like she was going to the candy shop and not a surgery table to be cut open. Alexis barely noticed as they injected her with sedative. She knew 35 was probably just insane when she spoke of some 'angel' coming to save her. But it was the only hope Alexis could think of so she clung to it desperately. Even if she knew it was utter nonsense.

Her body shivered was stripped of her old medical gown. The scientists carried her to the operating room where she was placed down on the table. Alexis wasn't too concerned. She had done this many of times, she practically knew the procedure by heart.

Test the reflexes.

Draw a blood sample.

After that, a bone marrow sample.

Check for colds and infections.

However this time was different. Instead of the usual stethoscope check, an IV was hooked up to her arm instead. Alexis sluggishly moved her head to the right and spotted a giant screen.

She was horrified by what she saw.

It was her body. Or rather, the inside of it; but instead of the usual red and pink tissue with bone, there was something quite different. Fuel lines ran through her body, a bright blue liquid running along inside them. And right next to her pounding heart was a blue case. Her eyes watered in fright when she realized it was beating- no, pulsing a pale blue light. It was crystal looking, with wires connecting to it. Alexis glanced down at her arm and saw that the veins along her skin were faintly glowing.

How could she have missed that?!

Suddenly a doctor obscured her view as he leaned over her, another needle in his hand. She felt it prick her skin and froze as a numbing solution ran through her body. With a shock she realized she couldn't move.

A cold sweat broke out on her forehead when the doctor flipped on a buzz saw. Alexis's eyes widened as she saw it descend towards her arm. It cut into her like an angry demon and she bit her tongue to hold in a scream.

She would not give them the satisfaction of hearing her voice her agony.

As more and more of her blood spilled out onto the table she felt blackness creep around the corners of her vision. Grateful to be free from the torture, she fell into a deep well of darkness. The last thing she saw being her blood, spraying an arc of fluorescent blue.


	4. Chapter 4

112 days in confinement

Alexis couldn't bear to look at herself.

She had been brought back to her cell after the _tests,_ and she hadn't woken up until the next day. At first everything had seemed fine. She had assumed it had all been a horrible nightmare and she would awaken to her cozy apartment with Kelly yelling for her to get up. Instead she was greeted with the harsh lights of her cell, the barrier carrying on its buzzing tune. Then she had glanced down.

Her right arm and left leg were gone. In their places were metal limbs constructed of metal. She had seen them on other people, such as 35 and 36. However it was a whole other ballpark now. It was different when she was the recipient of such treatment; it almost felt unreal. She blinked, hoping when she opened her eyes her arm and leg would be back, the harsh metal gone.

Alas, they didn't vanish. They seemed to mock her when her eyes landed on them, laughing at her suffering. Her other appendages however were, for the most part, intact. Little wires poked out of them though, admitting little currents of electricity. Alexis reached up to tug them out but when she pulled on them, harsh jolts of pain surged up her arm, as if she was tearing off her own skin.

Glancing down she saw her chest had not been left unscathed either. A seam ran down the middle of, looking like two pieces of metal shut together. A tiny button lay on her side.

Alexis was terrified but she had to know what it did. Was it a power switch? If pushed would it- shut her down? Alexis took a deep breath and tentatively pressed the button. With a whir and grinding of gears, her chest split into two pieces and separated revealing her chest cavity.

It was just as the monitor had shown. In the center lay her second heart, its blue light pulsing from its crystal case. Her once only heart lay off to the side, enclosed in a metal case. Wires ran all throughout her body while fuel lines pumped a blue liquid throughout her body.

Alexis couldn't bear to look any longer and hastily pushed the button, wincing when the two panels shut.

Upon further examination, she found out that her hair had been shaved off; all of it, excluding her eyebrows and eyelashes. Everywhere else was smooth and shone with a metallic gleam. It was then that she noticed her vision wasn't quite right. While her right eye was fine it was her left eye she was worried about. When she closed her right eye, everything was shaded in red. Along with that, a side screen kept popping up and displaying info. Alexis's head spun at the readings she was getting. The cell was 20 ft long and 15 feet wide, the metal was of an iron carbon mixture, and the electric barrier emitted just over 100,000 volts of electricity. The side screen would move with her when she turned her head and Alexis made the conclusion something had been inserted into her eye.

Since she didn't have a mirror, she couldn't determine what sort of sorry state her face was in. She inspected the rest of her body and found other things as well. She found that on the soles of her feet were thrusters, their shape and size reminding her of the ones on the backs of jets. Tiny slits lay along her forearms but she had no inclination as to what they could be. Along her shoulder blades where harsh metal sheets, kept under her skin, and jutting up whenever she moved. She was instantly reminded of the flaps flying squirrels had under their arms and wondered if this was the secret project they had been planning to give to 36.

"Ah, sleepy beauty is awake at last!" Alexis glared as a guard approached her cell, his uniform crisp and clean. Tags still hung off his coat, clueing Alexis that he was probably recently hired; or really oblivious.

"Whoa, what's with the death stare? Just trying to be civil-like." He leaned to the left and wheeled out a TV that had been out of sight. His face turned sheepish.

"I figured you'd want something to pass the time while you, uh, recuperate." He flicked the television on and turned it to the news station.

"Try to relax. I heard…" He looked down at his polished shoes.

"Never mind; it's probably better you don't know." His boots clicked on the white tile as he left to go back to his post at the end of the hall.

As soon as he had left her sight, Alexis had scrambled closer to the TV, desperate to hear what had happened to her home.

The news lady was blond, with a professional air around her. Her suit was neat and polished but her eyes darted around nervously, as if she was scared of something.

"Tonight on Las Vegas News: Reports have been sent in of a government missile testing program gone horribly wrong. Casualties are yet to be determined but estimates say that over 30,000 people are missing. Government officials say there is no reason to panic and citizens are advised to stay indoors until authorities can get to the scene."

Alexis glanced down at the date and saw that the footage had been taken on the day she had been kidnapped.

"Now we bring you live with Henry Burg. Henry?" The television flickered as the scene changed. Alexis stood ridged as an all too familiar sight met her eyes. Buildings were on fire and people screamed as they dodged falling debris.

"It is chaos here Trish. People's homes have been burned to the ground while others search desperately for loved ones. I have just received word that officials will arrive shortly and-" The newsman stopped short as a jet roared across the sky.

Jets were a common occurrence in Nevada. So Alexis was puzzled as to why the man would stop reporting just to stare at a jet.

But then the jet drew closer and she saw why the man was gawking. It was no ordinary jet. It was still hard to see, as all the smoke and fire was clouding the skies but Alexis saw it as clear as day. Her left eye whirred as it zoomed in and focused on the blurry screen.

The jet was _transforming_.

She could practically hear the clanks and grinding of the gears as intricate parts twisted and clicked together. The camera was starting to dim as she noticed that the battery was running low. The screen darkened and soon switched back to the anchor.

Alexis however had just been able to make out the figure. It was dark and smoky but she had been able to make out one thing; a blood red set of eyes staring right at her, as if they could spot her through the camera lens. Alexis drew in a breath as she realized what he reminded her of.

A fallen angel.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys here is the newest chapter. THis one is pretty long (well longer then the rest) so enjoy! Thank you for all the comments and please review if you want more chapters! it nice to get feedback so i know if i should continue the story this way or change its direction. your opinions are always valued! :)**

112 days in confinement 5:00 pm

She didn't move when the guard rolled the TV away. Nor did she move when the lights turned off, signaling lights out. She didn't even move when guards marched past her cell, neglecting to give Alexis her daily rations.

Had 35 been right or had she just imagined it? After all, it could have just been a trick of the light. There was no way the robot could have seen her.

Right?

Alexis shook her head. Not only would that be impossible, it was downright absurd. Once again a squad of guards marched up to the blue electric field. Only this time there were no restraints or sedatives. Alexis snorted. Did they think she would ever willingly go to those horrendous tortures they called tests? They were more idiotic then she had thought. However Alexis soon learned the reasoning behind this. Up above them, situated where a second floor would be, was something Alexis had never noticed before. It was a glass walkway inlayed in the wall. Inside was the red-headed scientist and he was holding the remote to her collar. She scowled but followed the men down the cell's hallway, all the way to a room she had never been to. She didn't want to follow them but she _really_ didn't want to get electrocuted again.

As the guards led her to this mysterious new room, she saw a group of scientists and men in business suits following the red-head through the glass walkway. They seemed to be talking about something. Whatever it was it was soon followed by cold glances at Alexis. Soon enough the guards pushed Alexis through the doors of the new room and promptly slammed them shut behind her. Alexis' eyes went wide as she took in the room.

If was massive. It had a clean, pristine look about it and was roughly the size of a football field. The men's glass walkway had given way to a little room filled with comfy cushioned chairs. It was separated from the arena by a thick Plexiglas window. Inside she saw the men in suits sit down, their hands balancing plates laden with expensive delicacies. Her mouth watered at the sight, and internally growled at how they ate in front of her like this. Gluttonous pigs.

She noticed the team of scientists sitting in the background, waiting for their guests to get comfortable. The red-headed man stood and walked to a podium at the center of the room, his hand still clutching the remote.

"Gentlemen, if you would please take your seats, the demonstration will begin shortly." Alexis frowned. Demonstration? What, did they expect her to roll over like a good little lap dog? Pfff, fat chance.

However the men seemed to ignore her for the time being and instead focused their attention on a projection screen shot onto the arenas far wall. Alexis nervously tugged at her collar as pictures of the experiments and procedures performed on her flashed across the screen.

"As you are all well aware, the techno organic beings known as the Decepticons have secured a firm hold on our planet. Approximately one year ago they were first sighted in Nevada. They swept across the nation before moving to other locations. However, under the supervision of MECH we have started developing ways to defeat or at least slow down this take over."

Alexis squinted as the projector suddenly flipped through a series of pictures of various cities going up in flames. She glanced back to the red haired scientist and paused. His face held not a trace of concern or sympathy as he spoke.

"During the attack of Jasper Nevada we were able to acquire test subjects for our new project. Also during the attack, we were able to bring down a Decepticon drone and transport it to this location."

Suddenly a portion of the floor lifted, bringing a platform up with it. Alexis' eyes widened as she saw what lay on it. The drone was black and purple with his front torn open. It looked as if he had been dissected and removed of every internal part it held. His optics were blank and grey, devoid of any signs of life. Her eyes saw a gleaming symbol on its chest; a narrow face-like mask colored a royal purple. On his arm was a code labeled PH-1L. As she laid eyes on the label a surge suddenly erupted from her processor. The scientists seemed to not notice as they continued to jabber on.

Streams of data flashed before Alexis' eyes, until she suddenly came upon a horrifying revelation. The parts they had inserted into her weren't just made from scratch.

They had been modified and shrunk down to fit her.

The very spark that was pumping life throughout her body had once belonged to this drone. Alexis struggled to keep what little she had in her stomach. She turned away from the drone even as her processor surged with the sheer amount of information it was outputting.

The number on the drone was actually the name of this drone. He had been a lowly miner bought and later given the privilege of rising to a warrior class eradicon. PH-1L had served the Decepticons faithfully over the centuries.

With a jolt Alexis realized these were the mechs memories. She learned that the blue liquid that flowed through her veins wasn't blood but instead a substance called energon that sustained all Cybertronions. She then realized where she was getting all this info. It was from pieces of the PH-1L's brain that had been inserted into her head.

Alexis saw the reflection of her red optic in the polished white tile of the floor. It glinted under the harsh flood lights, seemingly mocking her about just how much of a monstrosity she had become.

"…we were able to replicate its design; well to a lesser degree. 37 here is the latest model. She is equipped with twin wrist blades, while thrusters have been inserted into the soles of her feet. This allows her to have minimal flight capabilities. Her left eye has been replaced with an eye similar to the transformers; it's not perfect but it is 54% as effective as the drones.

A pudgy, oaf of man slowly raised his voice in noticeable disdain.

"Why would you only give her 'some' of this-" he motioned to the offline drone, disgust evident on his features. "-things capabilities. It seems idiotic to keep her at a half human half -whatever that thing was- kind of state. I think it would make her weaker. I mean just look at her, she isn't even protected by armor on her whole body. Her left arm is vulnerable as is her right leg. Only one of her eyes seems to be equipped with optic sensors. If you ask me all you accomplished was an extravagant and expensive way to waste our time." His pork-like features held smug triumph, like he had solved a giant mystery. The head scientist stood still for a moment, his eyes burning holes into the fat mans skull.

"Well mister-" he glanced down at his clipboard. "-Bay, 37 has been built this way on purpose. She is not going to be a big brawler, no. Instead MECH thought it would be much more…strategic if 37 was designed this way. She can easily be disguised and is of a small stature, making it easier for her to get into places giant robots cannot. She is meant for stealth and speed. What 37 is _not _built for was heavy combat. However-" Alexis peered closer as the redhead flipped open a compartment on remote like device. Before she could prepare herself he pressed an almost undetectable button.

At once the supposed shock collar around her neck started to hum. Alexis tore at it with her hands, as the metal collar started to shift. It flexed and moved like water, sliding over her body. The metal soon coated her entire form and with a jolt Alexis realized it was no longer soft and palpable. It was thin but hard, surprisingly flexible as she moved about. She glared daggers at the men behind the glass. It seemed as soon as she thought they were finished, they whipped out another devise or experiment to perform on her.

Meanwhile, the men had leaned forward in curiosity and watched as the head scientist pressed a red button on the central control station.

A square section on the wall opened up and from it emerged an automatic machine gun. Before Alexis could blink, it turned its sights to her. Alexis's eyes went wide as a computerized voice pinged inside of her core processer.

DEFENSE SYSTEMS: ENGAGED

Her body suddenly twisted to the side, dodging a shower of bullets that rained down where she had been standing. Alexis's body seemed to have a mind of its own as she dodged and flipped; wincing when the bullets whizzed past her head. She reached the gun all too quickly and tensed as her legs prepared to leap. She launched into the air, her right arm seemingly having a mind of its own as it swung towards the gun. Her mouth became agape as her metal fist smashed into the gun, crumpling it like a piece of aluminum foil.

She landed with a loud thump, her human appendages shaking from shock.

DEFENSE SYSTEMS: POWERING DOWN

In the back of her mind she realized the men in the glass room where shaking hands with the scientists and congratulating them on a job well done. Some were even talking about when the system would be ready for mass production.

System?! Alexis shook with rage as the word hit her audio receptors. How had she been reduced to this? No longer a human being but a thing to be bought and purchased?!

Her mind whirled as she accessed her central processor.

CENTRAL CORE: OPEN

She was a bit unnerved by the voice but figured it was the equivalent of the voice on a GPS. Alexis wondered if it could take directions like one too and mentally sent it commands, listening as it hummed quietly.

WEAPONS: ONLINE

ENERGON LEVELS: FIFTY PERCENT

ENERGY SIGNAL: ONLINE

Alexis frowned at the last one. She hadn't sent it that… What was an energy signal? Her mind struggled to dig through the eradicon's data files but couldn't find the answer, as she was only able to acquire basic cybertronion knowledge.

Suddenly the pristine white room was bathed in a harsh red light as alarms sounded. The men in the glass room immediately jumped up and turned to the guards stationed at the door. The guards paid them little attention though, instead clenching their walkie-talkies in death grips as a voice covered in static shouted over the line.

"We need backup! Sector 5 has been breached and we are under heavy fire! I repeat, we are being attacked and are in dire need of backup!" The voice cut off as more gunshots were fired. Soon all noise stopped except for the lone solider gripping the walkie-talkie, his faint sobs barely audible. A long, drawn out scream suddenly sounded from the tiny speaker.

"Oh god p-please no! NO DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!" the man cries suddenly turned into loud shrieks as a wet tearing sound filled the air.

Then it was deathly silent. Alexis strained to hear as footsteps lightly approached the deceased soldier. A dark voice chuckled, sending shivers up Alexis' back.

"**Found you."**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys, Happy Valentines day! And what a better way to celebrate then with senseless gore! 8D So here is the 6****th**** chapter. It may slow down to weekly updates, as the seventh chapter is the last one I had written in advance… Anyway, thank you ****Anonymous BW FG Kirake,****Naughtia, quasarsmom, scarlet thorn, and everyone else you reviewed, followed, or favorited!**

**Warnings: this chapter contains foul language and gore**

112 days in confinement 

For a moment no one moved. The guard's hand had loosened its grip, dropping the walkie-talkie to the floor where it landed with a clank. The men in the room didn't move; their faces sweaty and fearful. Then all at once, as if suddenly struck by lightning, everyone in the room fled towards the door. Like a herd of animals they shoved and pushed each other to escape first.

Alexis meanwhile looked about the room for an open door, a ventilation shaft, anything that could get her out of there. Yet, the room revealed no such escapes, not even a hole big enough for an ant to crawl through.

Suddenly, shouts and the sound of gunfire filled the air as the guards from the meeting room made it into the hallway. She edged closer, morbidly curious as to what was going to happen to them.

"Oh god, I think I'm gonna be sick…"

"We've got him pinned! Don't stop shooting, there's nowhere left for the bastard to run! You stay right where you are Brian!"

"But sir, our men can't keep this up any longer! Besides, from the looks of it we haven't even scratched his armor! This is suicide!" Brian responded.

"Nonsense! It's a trick; there is no way he can get out of this! We'll put him out like we did last time!"

Alexis then heard the voice again.

It sounded like the devil himself was speaking. It was deep and dark and seemed to come from everywhere at once, reaching to the very core of her being and leaving nothing but bone-chilling dread.

"**Disgusting insects, do you really think you can stop me?"**

A loud bang sounded and the noise stopped. An eerie silence permitted the room, leaving Alexis frozen; her spark and heart pounding away in her chest. The circuits in her body sent jolts of fear to her processor as the door to the arena was wrenched open.

She sagged in relief as she saw it was the red-haired scientist. However, that relief was short lived as she caught a glimpse of what was outside.

Bodies littered the hallway, looking as if they had come straight out of a horror flick. Blood coated the walls and the floor while the lights above flickered once before dying, plunging the hallway into darkness. One unlucky soul was trying in vain to crawl towards the rapidly shutting the door, his hand reaching for the door as it slid shut.

Alexis stared in disbelief as the scientist ignored the man, even making sure the locks on the door were secure. He wiped the sweat from his brow before turning to the only other occupant in the room.

"Not under any circumstances are you to let anything through this door. You will protect me at all costs." His fingers twitched towards the remote on his belt.

Alexis' processor immediately spun into action as the command was given.

DEFENSE SYSTEMS ON.

SECURITY CODE 345 ACTIVATED.

OBJECTIVE: PROTECT

Alexis struggled with the half of her brain that was computerized. She steeled herself as her internal computer fought to keep control.

ERROR.

ORGANIC PROJECT: ALEXIS, INTERFEARING.

ENABALING SHUT DOWN PROCEDURES ON PROJECTS CONSCIOUNESS.

Alexis blinked rapidly as her ears started to ring and her vision faded. Still she resisted. She knew that if she gave in she would be forced to fight whatever waited outside and her chances of survival would be slim to none. Plus, there was no way she was dying just to protect the same man who had ruined her life. Her head pounded as she gave commands to the computer. Giving it information it could understand.

ORGANIC HALF, QUERY: CHANCES OF SURIVAL AGAINST UNKNOWN ENEMY IF PROTECTION PROTOCOLS ARE FOLLOWED?

PROCESSING…

CHANCES OF SURVIVAL: 3.7%

CALCULATING CHANCES OF SURIVAL IF SUBJECT FLEES…

CHANCES OF SURVIVAL: 71.8%

PROCESSING…

LOGIC IN PROJECTS REASONING.

SELF PROTECTION DEEMED HIGHER PRIORITY.

OVERIDE ACTIVATED.

BASE PROGRAM CODES DELETING.

MANUAL CONTROL ACTIVATED.

Alexis sighed in relief as her processor stopped its assault on her brain. The scientist seemed to not notice her internal struggle as he headed towards the opposite end of the room. His brow furrowed as he glanced at the pristine wall, looking for something embedded in the wall. He let out a small grunt as his hand found an almost undetectable lever. He quickly flipped it up and stepped back as the wall shifted, revealing a small hidden passageway.

However, before he could make his escape, Alexis rushed forward and yanked the lever down, then snapping it off to prevent it from moving again.

"Are you insane!? Your orders are to protect me, and you will follow them!"

Alexis glared at the man, her mouth turned down in a scowl. She would never obey the likes of him.

Suddenly the lights flickered off, causing the redhead to let out a shrill shriek. Alexis scanned the room, her optic searching for anything out of place but finding nothing. Meanwhile, the scientist desperately pulled at the lever, swearing and cursing when it didn't budge.

The lights slowly turned on, their glow dim and diminished. They reached the point where Alexis could see the area directly around the light source but it didn't help much. Mostly it just cast eerie shadows along the walls, ceiling and floor.

Alexis' heart stuttered when one of the shadows took on the shape of a man. She shook her head and the image vanished. The only ones in the room were the scientist and herself; there was no way anyone else could've gotten inside. She turned back to the redhead and noticed he had gone horribly pale. Beads of sweat broke out across his forehead, his legs trembling as he looked at the darkest corner of the room.

Alexis turned and peered into the dark struggling to see, even with her advanced optic. What was it that he could see that she couldn't? The only thing she could see was shadows.

Was he seeing things?

Her feet started walking, taking her towards the source of the scientist's despair. As she neared the spot, the shadows seemed to thin until they had all but disappeared. Her head tilted in confusion. She didn't understand. There was nothing here.

However as she turned back to the man, determined to find a way to open the door, she paused. She quickly activated her armor, shivering as it slid and clicked into place. She had an odd feeling in her core that something was very _wrong_.

She jogged over to the giant metal door, the only thing separating her and the bloody scene outside.

Her metal arm hit the door with a loud clang. Alexis repeated the motion, grinning when a small dent appeared on the metal barrier. She was dimly aware of the scientist staring from across the room, his eyes hopeful as he watched her progress.

Just as a small crack appeared in the door the lights suddenly went out again. Her optic whirred as it picked up something moving in the far corner of the room. Alexis halted her next swing and frowned.

How had the scientist moved so quickly? Alexis froze as her eyes traveled back to the lever. The redhead was still there, his eyes wide as he tried to see in the dim light.

If he was over there, then who was…?

ENERGY SIGNATURE DETECTED.

Alexis held back a muffled yelp as the sudden alert from her processor made her jump. The lights started to dim down even more making it nearly impossible for the young woman to see.

"**Well isn't this interesting…" **

Alexis' optic filled with alerts and warnings, their red symbols flashing cross her vision. Her eyes darted around trying to find the source of the voice. Her search was in vain though, as the sound seemed to come from everywhere at once.

"**A filthy, worthless human and…"** Alexis bit back a scream as something brushed against her helm before moving back into the shadows.

"…**a twisted science experiment." **The voice was right next to her.

WEAPONS ONLINE.

Alexis launched at the shadows, her twin blades extending from inside her wrists. It was a strange feeling, as if she had suddenly grown extensions on her arms. They glimmered in the dim light, shining with the energon blood that dribbled from her wrists. Her spark was pounding along with her heart in a strange galloping rhythm. Alexis swung widely, but her blades just hit nothing but air.

"**Now, now, no need for** _**dramatics.**_**" **A figure emerged from the dark, the lights flickering as he did so. Alexis backed away, her processor screaming alerts at her.

DANGER. LEVEL 9 DECEPTICON.

RETREAT ADVISED.

Alexis didn't move; her eyes fixated upon a figure in the dark. The lights (on some unknown command) turned back to their full brightness. Almost immediately Alexis' intakes shuttered as she struggled to breathe.

The figure was tall, almost lanky. He had silver colored hair with a red stripe running down the middle. An air force officer's uniform adorned his body, stained with various red splotches. His fingers were long and pointed, almost claw-like in design. They too were coated in red, the liquid covering his bronze skin. But his eyes were the worst part.

They were a deep dark red, burning with malice and cruelty. His eyes were focused on Alexis, his stare inquisitive. His steps were light and quick as he sauntered over to where Alexis stood. His gait was smooth; every step measured and thought out.

She swung and braced for the hit as her bladed arm headed for his torso. Only no such thing happened as the blade went straight through him, not even leaving a scratch. He chuckled as he shimmered an iridescent blue, his form going blurry before solidifying.

RETREAT ADVISED.

RETREAT ADVISED.

RETREAT ADVISED.

Her processer kept repeating the message over and over until the words lost all meaning. All too soon the man was in front of her, towering over her once seemingly tall 5'7" frame.

"**What a strange little thing you are."**


	7. Chapter 7

Hey guys! So here is chapter 7! Starting this chapter, I have gotten assistance from my wonderful beta reader; Sunstreaker's squishy. Thank you so much for the reviews and favorites, I hope you like this chapter!

Chapter 7

"**So, it was you who sent out that energy signal…"** He loomed over her, his mouth set in a twisted smirk.

"**If I was the grateful sort, I would thank you for leading me here."**He paused. "**However, it seems as if you have no further use to me so instead, I believe I shall terminate you."**

Alexis' spark would not slow down. A quick warning popped up in her view screen, warning her of a potential stasis lock if her spark beat continued at its current pace.

There was no way he could have gotten inside. The doors were sealed shut, she was sure of it. However, there was something off about him. His body was now fazing in and out, flickering like a dying light bulb.

"**Pesky holoforms, they always take up so much energon."** His smirk was positively sinister as he looked down at Alexis' eyes.

"**I guess I'll just have to come inside then."**His body evaporated, much like water on a hot summer's day.

Was that a hologram? It looked like one, plus there wasn't any other explanation of the mysterious man that had appeared in the room.

Immediately, the Alexis ran over to the lever, shoving aside the scientist quaking in his boots. She jammed the broken part of the lever into the slot, shoving it until the metal started to groan.

"It's no use! You broke it and now we are going to die, all because you didn't follow my orders!"

Alexis grabbed the man by his collar and spoke for the first time in months. Her voice was quiet and whispery, but was as sharp as a steel blade as she looked the man dead in the eye.

"Look, I hate you. I mean, I really, really hate you. But no one deserves a fate like that." She whispered, gesturing towards the bodies that lay beyond door.

"Now, I'm trying to save your worthless hide and it would be much appreciated if you would _get out of my way_." The man's face flushed red in anger, but wisely chose to hold his tongue.

Alexis sent a surge of power to the energy gun in her hand, holding it to the lever as it heated up. She continued to hold the gun over the twisted metal until the heat became so great that the lever started to melt into the slot. Alexis quickly turned off the gun and watched as the red-hot metal cooled and hardened once more.

She slowly eased the lever up and grinned when it clicked into place. The hidden panel in the wall slowly opened, revealing a narrow and dark corridor. Suddenly, loud footsteps came from behind the door on the other side of the room, making the room shake as they drew closer.

The redheaded scientist shoved past Alexis and darted down the hall, not sparing her a second glance. Alexis sighed and then started to head down the hallway when a loud screech filled the room. She kept her gaze locked on the door as she backed up further into the hidden passage. Black claws abruptly pierced the door and started tearing it from the wall like it was made out of Styrofoam and cardboard. Alexis didn't want to stay to see the owner of said claws.

She darted into the hallway, the main door groaning as it was shredded to pieces behind her. Her energon pumped through her veins quickly, causing the glowing fuel to create bright lines across her body.

A dull red light suddenly filled the hall, shining from the previous room. Alexis glanced behind as she continued to run, but the red light seemed to follow her easily through the tunnel.

LEVEL 9 TRACKING SYSTEM: LOCKED ON.

DECEPTICON RADAR: ONLINE.

"What does that mean?" She muttered.

Her processor paused as it calculated a response.

SUBJECT 37'S ENERGY SIGNATURE HAS BEEN CATALOGUED. TRACKING BEACON IS LOCKED ON SUBJECT 37.

Alexis shivered as the red light faded away, only to be replaced by cackling laughter.

She was so screwed.

The tunnel became quiet again as Alexis turned a corner, dodging to the side to avoid colliding with the scientist. His face was ashen, but seemed hopeful as he pointed to an opening ahead.

"This leads to the middle of a park. Once we are out of here, you are on your own. You've turned out to be more trouble then you're worth." Alexis ignored him and sprinted for the exit, eager to be free. The tunnel opened up to reveal a pine tree covered forest, thick with vegetation.

Alexis inhaled deeply, enjoying the scent of open air after long months of being kept as a lab rat inside. She knew instinctively it was around midnight and started planning on how she would get back home. Out of nowhere, a loud click echoed through the trees, accompanied by the touch of a cold steel barrel against her temple.

"The fact of the matter is, while you are no longer of any value of me, as shown by your inability to follow orders, I just can't let you live. You'll be dismantled and I'll just start again, only I will probably just remove the organic part of the subject."

He kept the gun pressed against the armor, making it clang. "While you are impervious to bullets, I can't say the same about super heated laser beams. When I pull the trigger, it will fry your central processor and your human brain, leaving you nothing, but an empty husk." He laughed.

"The only profitable thing to come from you will be the spare parts."

"**Oh, I think I have to disagree with that."**Out of the corner of her optic, Alexis saw a massive figure come out the shadows.

How could something that big not make any noise?

She heard the redhead swallow while his hands started to sweat profusely. She still couldn't see the figure that well, but by the looks of it, he had to be at least thirty feet.

"**So, this is what MECH has been up to. I have to say, it does seem interesting…"**She heard a tapping sound as the figure drummed his fingers on one of the trees. The man, however, was slowly inching away, dragging Alexis with him back towards the tunnel entrance.

Oh, no, there was no way she was going back to that place again. Alexis twisted her arm and smacked the gun out of the man's hand. He lost his grip, but not before firing a shot into Alexis' side. Alexis let out a choked gasp as energon streamed from the wound, causing the newly exposed wires in her side to sizzle. Her organic leg struggled to hold her up when she swung at the man, her metal fist hitting the man's face with a loud crack. She limped over to the safety of the trees, only to find that red optics were tracking her every move.

She turned and was immediately taken aback at the sheer terror that flooded her systems. Her processer was practically streaming out nonstop alerts, advising her to get away and _fast_. The Cybertronian was sleek and slim, but there was something off about him.

His eyes glittered and she could practically see the gears turning in his head as he looked at her. His grin had a disturbing hint of glee in it as he turned back to the man, who was clutching his broken nose. The redhead scowled as he pushed the bone back into its rightful place, letting out a pop as it did so. His eyes watered as he looked upon the terror that was standing before him. The figure loomed over the tiny man, his optics scanning the man as if he had discovered a new breed of cockroach.

"**I always wondered what MECH was made of…"**His claws practically gleamed in the moonlight.

"**Let's find out, shall we?"**Faster than her optic could follow, a blur flashed over the red-heads leg, leaving the appendage unattached, severed from its owner. The wound gushed blood as the scientist's heart continued to pump away. The man screamed in agony, pressing down on his stump.

"Jesus Christ! Please no, I-I'll give you anything you want! Energon, fuel, government secrets, they're yours!"

The figure leaned in closer. "**Energon? You know where a stockpile of it may be?"**His optics glimmered as he spoke.

"Y-yes! Piles of raw, unprocessed energon. You let me go and I'll tell you where they are!"

"**How about you tell me where the Energon is and I'll consider letting you live?"**

The color of the man's face drained, but he managed to nod vigorously.

"There are in an old mountain mine, just west of here. It's about twenty miles away and is protected from trespassers with road blocks so you shouldn't have any trouble!"

"**That information**_**was**_**useful, worm."**The man started to sigh with relief, but paused as the figure pointed a clawed digit to the man's face.

"**It**_**would**_**have been useful had that Energon mine not already been excavated. There is nothing left there, but dirt. Try again."**

"There's another mine further to the east. It's not as plentiful as the last one, but it has a good amount of energon!"

"**See, was that so hard? But is that**_**really**_**all you have to offer me?"**The man glanced over at Alexis.

"You can have 37!" His finger pointed shakily. The figure did not even glance over at her.

"**Why would I have need for one of your botched up experiments? Last time I checked, humans and Cybertronians don't mix well."**The figure growled.

"She can find any Autobot!" The scientist nodded his head and smiled nervously.

"**Hmm, can she now?"**A smirk appeared on the figure's face. "**Well, isn't that just convenient for you? Here I appear and it just so happens that your experiment has the one thing that could actually benefit me."**

"Yes, yes! 37 is all yours if you let me go!" The figure turned to Alexis, his red optics dancing with delight.

"**What do you have to say about that? Be honest now, I will now if you're lying."**His talon tilted Alexis' head up until she was staring right into his ruby optics.

"I-"she paused. Her voice came out barely audible when she spoke.

"I am not able to track Autobots." The mech smiled.

"**That's a good femme. But you, MECH scientist, are an abhorrent liar. However as a scientist myself, I find myself curious about this experiment, plus it's always beneficial to get more laborers around the base. As such, I think I**_**will**_**take 37."**

"Oh, thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank-" the man was cut off as the mech pointed a missile at him.

"**Unfortunately for you, as much as I hate wasting ammo, it seems you cannot be trusted to live. Be thankful I am in no mode to stay here any longer than I have to or your death would have been much more…**_**messy."**_

"Stop!" Alexis was shocked to discover that it was her own voice that had cried out. The figure looked over his shoulder at her, his optics narrowed.

"**Do you really want me to?"** He turned towards her, but kept the missile pointed at the man. His helm cocked to the side as he whispered to her.

"**Deep down, you know he deserves this, all of them did. Won't it bring satisfaction to know he will never hurt another person again?"**The missile clicked into place as it locked onto the man. The redhead started to sob and pray much like the very people he had once experimented on.

"But that- it doesn't make it right..."

"**Look, 37, was it? Or is that even your real designation?"**He had turned fully to face her with his arm still pointing at the man.

"**I'm going to kill this miserable maggot. The only reason I don't do the same to you is that I'm a curious mech and I want to see how they were able to make something like**_**you**_**."**

His claw suddenly twitched, causing the missile to shoot forward. Alexis was half blind by the resulting explosion, but unfortunately she was able to pick up the image with her optic. Flames licked at the man's body as bits and pieces of him were scattered about. All that remained was a mockery of what once had been a human being. Alexis quickly shut off her optic, but the mess that had once been the scientist flashed in her mind.

"**What a waste of Energon."**He didn't even glance back at the charred corpse as he sauntered over to Alexis. He didn't so much as glance at her as he spoke orders to an unseen source.

"**Send a space bridge to my coordinates."**A brilliant flash of light suddenly lit up behind him. Droves of Vehicons poured out of the portal, causing Alexis to extend her wrist blades. One of the them paused when he saw the tiny femme arm herself. His chest bore the code ST-3V3.

"**Uh, Commander? What do you want us to do with…?"**The Eradicon was cut off as the winged mech narrowed his optics and hissed menacingly.

"_**It's Lord. Next time I hear you say 'Commande'r, I'll rip your vocalizer out."**_The figure passed through the portal after tossing out a command over his shoulder.

"**Take her onboard."**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

**Hey guys, sorry for the late update! thank you for all the follows and reviews. Also I'm thinking about including some Knockout/Breakdown. Let me know if you think I should or not. ~Enjoy :)**

* * *

Before she could dart away, the vechicon enclosed her in his fist. Alexis thrashed about, desperate to be free. Her wrists blades twisted into the mech's plating, cutting clean through an energon line. ST-3V3 clamped his servo on the wound to staunch the flow, giving Alexis the opening to slip from his grasp and fall to the ground with a soft thump. Immediately she took off, using the vechicons shock to her advantage so she could escape off into the forest.

The vechicons all watched as the tiny figure darted off into the undergrowth. One by one they all turned to look at ST-3V3; their optics wide. All at once they started to talk, each raising his voice so he could be heard over the others.

"**Do we give pursuit? The ground bridge will close soon, and we were ordered to go back to base when the commander returned!"**

"**But he wanted the organic to be taken onboard as well!" **one of the eradicons stepped in front of the others, his shiny silver armor making him stand out. The brand on his arm was labeled GR-3G.

"**I think we will be in more trouble if we don't report this to the commander. We don't have time to catch the organic so we will head back to the ship where the one responsible for losing it in the first place will give the message to the commander." **

All visors turned to look as ST-3V3, whose frame was quivering at the thought of breaking the bad news. The rest of the squadron headed into the ground bridge, disappearing in a flash of light. GR-3G patted ST-3V3 on the shoulder; an apologetic look on his face.

"**You are so slagged."**

* * *

Alexis panted as she tumbled through the undergrowth. Her processor warned her of her low energon levels as they reached 6%. She listened to know if anyone had followed her and was relieved when all was silent. She shook her head, letting out a shaky laugh.

When had her life gotten so messed up? Alexis slowly sank to the ground until her legs were folded beneath her. Her hands latched onto her leg, pressing against the cool metal. She barely registered the sound of her processor pinging until the constant noise finally caught her attention.

ENERGON LEVELS REACHING 5%

SHUTTING DOWN WEAPONS AND NON NECESSARY SYSTEMS

Alexis shakily stood up, her legs wobbling beneath her. She exhaled heavily and started heading in the opposite direction of where the mechs had been. Maybe if she got far enough, she could find a town and make her way back home. People had to know what had happened here. She pushed aside a large fern and headed into a grassy clearing, smiling when distant lights twinkled off in the distance. It didn't look that far, her processer estimating the distance and around 10 miles.

However, Alexis was concerned at the time it would take to get there. She needed to conserve her energy if she was to make it there before she shut down into a stasis lock. She picked up the pace and made her way towards the lights as quickly as possible.

As she drew closer and closer to the small town her processor silently counted down her energon percentage. Every once in a while Alexis would jump at a noise or movement; only letting her guard down when she knew it was only a bird or the occasional squirrel. Finally she stood in front of a massive set of wooden doors, a wall branching out from them and encircling the entire town.

Alexis spoke as loud as she dared, taking the chance that soon her vocalizer would shut down due to the low energon levels.

"Hello? Is anybody up there?" Here optic zoomed in as a crouching man slowly peaked his head over the top of the wall, a rifle glinting in the moonlight as it was pointed at her.

"Who are you?"

"Please, I need a place to stay. I-I'll pay you back!" The man let out a chuckle.

"Have you been living under a rock? Money has been worthless ever since the cons attacked." His eyes took in her tired form. The man let out a heavy sigh as he noticed she was barely able to stay upright.

"Wait right there, I'll get the boss. She'll decide if you can come in or not." The man disappeared from view while Alexis leaned up against the door for support as her processor felt like to had started to spin. She winced as her processor ringed out an alarm.

ENERGON LEVELS AT 2%

STASIS LOCK IMMINENT

Her optic shut down as all of her energon was rerouted to her core. Her other eye was renedered useless as the world grew dim and hazy. Her throat was raw and sore, feeling as if someone had poured sand into her mouth to drink. She felt the wooden door start to shift as it slowly creaked open.

"**Fowler, why couldn't you handle this yourself? You know we don't take in outsiders-"** The voice suddenly cut off and a shadow fell over Alexis.

"**Holy Primus, who is this? We need to get her inside before she goes offline."** A faint buzzing sound filled the air and Alexis was dimly aware of some sort of cuffs being placed around her wrists.

"**Place a guard outside the infirmary while June patches her up. I don't want any problems if this turns out to be another Decepticon trap."**

Alexis felt her body being lifted up and struggled to bring her optic online. She saw a woman dressed in blue, black hair that was highlighted with two pink streaks. Despite her exotic hair color she was dressed professionally with a neat, military uniform of some sort. Alexis' optic shut down before she could gain any more information.

It was an odd sensation of being blind. Alexis felt her body being laid down on a metal table and had a brief jolt of panic as recent memories of her time in the laboratory flooded her mind before she felt a needle prick her organic arm, sending waves of calm throughout her system. She felt her body start to relax and slowly let her mind take a much-needed rest but the thought of getting something- anything- to drink filled her head as she drifted off.

* * *

"I'm telling you, I've never seen anything like it." The dark haired nurse glanced over at the sleeping figure that had been moved to a spare bed in the recovery unit.

"It's like someone took out bits and pieces of her nervous system and started replacing it with wires. After that it's just a mess of energon lines and bits of metal framing that I can't even begin to try and comprehend. If I didn't know any better I would've thought she seemed more like you then a human."

"**So she's one of the Cons experiments?"** Arcee questioned.

"I wouldn't know. Would you be able to tell?"

Arcee looked over at the woman and shrugged.

"**It seems the most likely but I wouldn't jump to any conclusions yet, first we need to see exactly what condition she is in."**

Suddenly Alexis shifted as she awakened, only to find her arms were bound to the bed. She pulled at the restraints, clearly panicking as her legs started to thrash about. June Darby ran over to the girls' side, speaking in a cool, soothing tone.

"Hey, it's ok. We are not going to hurt you. I'm going to undo the restraints, if you promise you stay calm. I don't want you injuring yourself." June looked to Arcee to see if this was acceptable and was met with a nod. As soon as the restraints were gone Alexis sat up, her processor pounding as it told her she was at 20% energon levels.

"Do you have any energon?" her voice was filled with static and was just barely audible. June nodded and quickly darted out of the room only to appear moments later with a small energon cube.

"I gave you a minimal dose when you were under although I wasn't sure what amount you required. You're very lucky we even had energon. We had to dip into one of Arcee's rations." Alexis barely heard her as she guzzled down the glowing liquid, savoring the taste of the cool liquid as it rushed over her tongue. She drank until the container was empty, sighing in relief when it was gone. Already her energon levels were rising, steadily climbing until leveling out at 40%. Arcee approached the bed as Alexis finished the drink.

"**Look, I know you have probably been through a lot but we need to know why you were outside our gates. If you cant tell, we aren't used to outsiders."** Alexis nodded and sat the glass down, easing back onto the bed as she started to tell of her time at MECH. Arcee was patient and didn't interrupt, only asking the occasional question. When Alexis was done, Arcee leaned against the wall, closing her optics.

"**What did the mech look like?" **

"Do you mean the one who was taken apart?"

"**No, the one who destroyed the lab."**

"-Oh." Alexis got quiet and stared down at her hands as if suddenly they were the most interesting things in the world.

"He- he had red-" the room started to spin as memories of molten red optics colored her vision. Alexis clutched at the sheets as her voice turned to a low whisper.

"-eyes."Arcee grimaced, her face sympathetic, as the girl started to shiver, her teeth biting her lip until it bled in an effort to stay calm.

**"Did anyone say his name; anything could help." **

"I think one of the purple mechs called him commander." Arcee's eyes got wide.

"**Scrap."** Alexis stared in shock as the blue-haired woman abruptly flickered like a dying light bulb before disappearing.

"What was that!?" Alexis sat on the bed her eyes wide as they franticly searched for where the lady might have gone. Alexis soon realized that the blue haired woman had only been a holoform and the real Arcee was probably outside, or somewhere in the town.

"Don't worry, she just… went to check on something, I'm sure she will be right back." Alexis was no stranger to lying and could easily tell the woman wasn't telling her something. She raised an eyebrow, skeptical of the nurse. June seemed to suddenly age before Alexis' eyes as her shoulders sagged and the wrinkles on her forehead crinkled in worry.

"Alright… the truth is, we haven't heard of any Decepticon activity for months. We figured they had moved to other part of the world- capitals, landmark cities, you know- places that the con's could tolerate living in. That's what Arcee was able to find out anyway. They must have come back for… something." June sat down next to Alexis' bed.

"Wait, you said that MECH was the ones who took you?" June didn't even wait for Alexis to nod her head in confirmation as she rushed over to the intercom.

"Arcee, I need to talk with you right away!" June stepped back and only had to wait a few seconds before the holoform fizzled into the room again. June immediately started talking.

"We might be in trouble. I think Alexis might have seen-"

**"I _know _who she saw! What I don't know is if they tracked her here. Or did he know our location already and he just couldn't be bothered to even give us a moment of attention. But now that she's is here he might get curious and decide to pay us a visit! Frag! Why did I ever let her in here to begin with? I knew there was going to be trouble and guess what? It just so happens she crossed paths with one of the most formidable seekers to ever fly across Cybertron's skies!"** Alexis meanwhile had gotten to her feet; he cheeks light blue as energon rushed to her face out of shame.

Had she really messed up that bad? She struggled to understand exactly why a seeker was something Arcee was concerned about. Alexis pulled up basic info files until she came across one that covered the bare bones minimum of the Decepticon class system.

CYBERTRONION SEEKER CLASS:

A UNIT OF DECEPTICONS OFTEN NOTED FOR THEIR SPEED AND OFTEN SUPERIOR FLIGHT COMBAT.

ALSO KNOWN AS THE ELITE OF THE DECEPTICONS

June and Arcee were still arguing on the best course of action before Alexis made her way over to the duo.

**"-For all we know he could be on his way this very minute! I say we let her go and try to put as much distance between us as we can."**

"You don't mean that Arcee, she's just a girl; who knows what they will do to her if they get ahold of her!"Arcee continued on despite Junes' outburst.

**"June, I need you and Jack to take the colony and get as far away as you can. I'll hold him off for as long as I can."**

"Ok, why don't we all just calm down. We have no idea if he is even coming so there's no need for us to leave yet. Besides, you're not in the any condition to be fighting." The blue-haired woman froze before slumping her shoulders.

**"I know, I just… I won't allow anyone else to get hurt. Not again."**

"Neither do I but we can't afford to lose anyone, you most of all. We are going to be fine, I know you know this." Arcee nodded although the doubt still lingered in her eyes. Alexis hesitantly spoke up as the duo came to a break in their conversation.

"Who are you talking about? How bad could they be, it's only one mech and you guys have an entire town not to mention her." Alexis nodded her head at Arcee who proceeded to turn and face the now standing Alexis, her eyes filled with stress.

**"Starscream."**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys sorry for the long wait. I've been really busy lately (finishing up school and such) hopefully over the summer I'll be able to finish it. Anyways here is the next chapter! Also I want to say thanks to sunstreaker's squishy for being a great beta reader. Thanks and please review.**

Chapter 9

"Who is Starscream?" Arcee and June exchanged glances before Arcee answered.

**"He is- _was_ second in command of the Decepticons. Back on cybertron he was a top class flier.** **Never was one for up-front battle tactics though. He was more 'go behind the scenes and stab in you in the back' sort."** Her optics hardened as her jaw visibly clenched.

**"I never imagined he would be a serious threat."**

"You're a Cybertronion too right? Why don't you fight him?" Arcee shook her head like a parent would do to a naïve child.

"**I haven't been functioning at top efficiency as of late. Not to mention the fact that Starscream has an army that are all well rested and fully fueled. Look, all you need to know is that he is a very twisted mech and you need to stay as far away from him as possible. You of all people should know this." **Her body started to fade away as the constant strain of having her holoform out started to take its toll.

"**Why don't we can continue this discussion outside after you have gotten some rest. Meet me in about 6 hours." **with that the hologram flickered away leaving Alexis to slowly make her way back to the bed. June turned and headed for the door. She started to shut the door but turned around to give Alexis a reassuring smile.

"I'll make sure to wake up in time." The lights shut off with a click and Alexis was left alone to drift into a much-needed recharge.

* * *

Alexis was awoken to the sound of light knocking on her room's door. She sluggishly poked her head out from beneath the covers to see June poking her head through the doorway.

"Hey, you better get up. Arcee has been waiting for ten minutes." Alexis nodded and climbed out of bed and quickly made her way outside. June accompanied her on the way down and headed back to the medical center when they reached Arcee.

"**Hey. Sleep well?"** Alexis nodded, but her eyes grew wide as she got her first good look of the Autobot. Arcee was much smaller then the previous mechs Alexis had seen but still overshadowed her by a good 12 inches. Her light blue coloring was highlighted with various hints of silver and pink along her frame. Unlike the other cybertronions she had seen Arcee sported a red, square-like symbol- much different then the harsh angular purple insignia of the Decepticons.

"**Look, before I tell you about anything else we need to get something straight. The people here, they don't know I'm not human. It really comes in handy to use a holoform when the people you are trying to protect despise everything about your species." **She snorted.

"**Really I can't blame them after what our war has brought to your planet. Nevertheless, these people won't welcome you in with open arms to say the least." **Arcee visibly sagged, as if some invisible weight was being pressed down on her shoulders.

"**I'm not saying you have to leave. I'll keep an eye on you and try to lead you away from any civilians. But I'll understand if you don't want to stay. However if you do leave we won't be here if you decide to- **_**return."**_ Alexis understood the meaning behind Arcee's words- stay with us and we'll trust you for now. But leave and we will pack up and move on.

"If it's not to must trouble I'd like to stay." Arcee chuckled.

"**Oh it's going to be plenty of trouble but I can't do anything about that. Besides-" **Arcee's holoform briefly flickered on to grin at Alexis.

"**I'll make sure you stay out of harms way."**

* * *

Alexis groaned as she flopped back onto the couch, her head pounding from boredom. She had been confined to one of the medical center's rooms and had been for the past few days. Arcee had said that once enough time had passed (to assure her that no Cons were going to come bursting down the door) then she would be free to leave the room- supervised of course.

The blank white walls were starting to make Alexis go stir crazy as they started to remind her of the labs containment cell walls. She scanned the room and found, much to her surprise, a pile of clothing on the chair.

'June must have left these here. I wonder if they'll fit?' The pile consisted of a sneakers, t-shirt and a hoodie. She slipped out of her medical gown and slowly out them on, wincing when they would get snagged on her metal limbs, fearful that the clothes might get torn. She managed to get into the outfit though, and looked down and saw something on the chair she hadn't noticed before.

A black eye patch lay on the chair, not noticed before on account of it blending in with the black cloth. She giggled as she put it on, thinking of how much she must resemble a pirate.

Alexis walked over to a mirror behind the door and looked at it. A smile lit up her face when she realized how- _human _she looked. With her metal arm and leg covered she almost looked like her old self again. Heck, maybe the she could even start getting to know the locals. However, her good humor vanished when she noticed the red light from her optic was still dimly visibly even with the eye patch on. Alexis quickly looked away from the mirror and headed towards the door and much to her surprise it was unlocked. She couldn't stand being cooped up inside and nobody would notice her optic was glowing if she kept her distance.

What could be the harm in that?

* * *

After being inside for so long, both at the lab and now in this camp; it was refreshing to get outside. Alexis made sure to stay away from the more crowded areas of the camp and instead opted to stick close to the wall. Every once in a while someone would start to walk her way, making Alexis keep her head down. She didn't want to cause any trouble, after all she wasn't really supposed to be out here.

Besides, it was refreshing to see people just living out there lives instead of watching scientists rip out her insides and worry about what new 'modification' she was going to get placed into her. However while it seemed peaceful enough, she couldn't deny that there was a constant feeling of dread looming over them. Turning back towards the wall she noticed that the further she made her way down the older the barrier became, made clear by missing bricks here and there. She found a crevice that was near her head and peered into it.

Beyond the barrier lay the pine forest she had run through. Looking to her right she saw the trees creep closer and closer to the wall the farther away from the central camp they got. After a while she resumed her walk and eventually got to the crop field planted at the edge of the area. The wall here was shorter here and stood only about ten feet high.

Alexis drew back in surprise when a loud crash echoed across the forest, followed by a string of colorful curses. Alexis leapt over the wall without a second thought, only stopping when her processor caught up with her actions.

'What am I thinking? I don't know if that's even a person out there! I better go back to camp and tell Arcee-' Alexis let out a groan when she realized that _technically_ she wasn't supposed to be out here alone and if she told Arcee she would be in heaps of trouble. She turned and started to head back to camp, determined to try and find help. Without letting anyone know just _how_ she knew someone was in the woods if she was supposed to be outside.

She stopped suddenly when a loud shout filled the air followed by a cracking of wood. Her spark stuttered as her optic searched the dark shadows in the trees for the source of the noise. Alexis berated herself as she opted to investigate, staying out of sight until she knew it was not a trap.

She rushed forward into the undergrowth, her scanners pinpointing the general direction of the noises' source. Up ahead lay a small ravine. In it lay a small stream, surrounded by mud and weeds. Alexis dashed over to one of the ravine's surrounding trees and hid behind it, waiting a couple minutes before peeking around the trunk.

To her surprise an Italian sports car sat in one of the muddy ditches, its frame covered with mud. Next to the car a man was furiously scrubbing at the grime, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings. Alexis was puzzled to say the least. Why was this man in the middle of nowhere- cleaning a car no less?

SCANNING FOR DECEPTICON ACTIVITY

NEAREST DECEPTICON: 100 MILES EAST

She cautiously stepped out from behind the tree, her arm blades ready to slide out just in case something went amiss.

"Took you long enough, I was wondering how long you were going to stand there. Although I can't blame you for staring, after all, I am absolutely _stunning_." The man stood up from his crouched position, his hands resting on his hips while a smirk appeared on his face.

"So, how about you make yourself useful and give me a hand?" Alexis slowly stepped towards him, all the while analyzing the situation. He seemed human enough; her scanners still weren't picking up anything strange. As she neared the vehicle she saw it was filthy, absolutely covered in grime and muck from the ditch, so much so that the color underneath was obscured. The man shuddered as he ran a finger through it, grimacing when it left a muddy smear on the finish.

"Ugh, disgusting. Why did I have to drive out here in the first place?" he mumbled to himself, resuming his previous position and looking over the car. Alexis crouched down next to him and surveyed the car.

"Well, it looks like not only is it filthy but I think the tires are stuck." The man ignored her and groaned as he got to his feet.

"It will take me hours to get all this- _muck_ off." He looked down at Alexis as she rose to her feet as well.

"Shouldn't you be more worried that it can't move? I think you'll have to leave it here, those tires aren't rolling anywhere." The man chuckled which earned him a confused glance from Alexis.

"I don't think that's going to be a problem." A grin spread across his face as his eyes sparkled with mischief.

"You know, I was supposed to be scouting the area for an- _associate _of mine but I don't believe I'll be going anywhere any time soon. Plus it's always a _delight_ to mess up his plans. So how about we delay the mission for a bit and you meet me here again." He paused to give her time to respond but the glint in his eye seemed to show he already knew what she would say.

"Why? You don't even know who I am. In fact, I don't even know who you are."

"Does it matter if we know each other or not? I need to get this mud off, you don't look like you've got anything better to do, so why not?"

"I suppose-" Alexis mentally battled with herself, trying to determine whether this was a good idea or not.

'As long as he doesn't find about the camp or where I've been, I should be fine. Plus, I should keep tabs on him until I can tell Arcee, if only so he dosen't run off when I leave.' Alexis looked to the man as she made her decision.

"I- I suppose it's alright. Do you know where you will be staying?" Alexis had no intention of inviting him back to camp with her, (that would've been moronic) but she at least had to know he wouldn't be wondering about in the woods at night, getting tired and cold.

"I've set up camp just a short walk away." His nose crinkled as he turned back to the car.

"Find cleaning supplies, I need to get this mud off before it dries. Meet me here in, let's say, three hours? Great."

"But I-" Alexis stuttered to a halt as the man nudged her back towards the direction she had come from.

"Now get going. I'll answer any questions you have when you get back." Alexis, although confused, quickly nodded before darting back to camp. Before she got to the trees though, she could've sworn she saw a flash of red but when she turned around the man was nowhere to be found.

"That was strange…"


End file.
